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June, 2008
Dear Miss Jody:
These photos were taken on the day Asso. Prof. Therdchai and his team came to make the prosthetic leg and the last photo was on the 24th when his team came to visit Mosha. The colour of the prosthetic leg has been changed and will be adjusted to make Mosha feel comfortable. She even tries to pull the artificial leg back after the staff take it off her leg each day. She is now very possessive of her new leg.
Cheers!
Soraida

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VIDEO
Elephant Mosha Walking on Prosthetic Leg

Mosha's New Leg
6/22/2008

Mosha is walking in her playground with the prosthetic leg successfully made by the Prosthesis Foundation at Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital on 21st June, 2008. It took twelve full hours of twenty technicians from PF under Asso. Therdchai Jivacate. It is believed to be the world's first elephant artificial leg. Thanks to PF and everyone of our staff who has as worked tirelessly to make it possible for Mosha to stand high.
Soraida Salwala
Founder
FAE

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Prosthetic Leg for Baby Elephant Mosha
June 2008

"Baby Mosha who was injured by landmine when she was only seven months old back in 2006 has fully recovered. And Asso. Prof. Therdchai Jivagate, from the Prostheses Foundation will be at Friends of the Asian Elephant’s Hospital in Hangchatr, Lampang Province on Saturday the 21st of June, 2008 around 9.00 a.m. to proceed with the prosthetic leg for Baby Mosha who is now two years and seven months old. She has been prepared to put the artificial leg since February after she weaned off in December 2007, her mother had to go back to the owners while Mosha has been donated to FAE to take care of her for the rest of her life. Mosha has been walking on the pre-prosthetic leg since February and in good health and her spirit is high."
Soraida Salwala, Founder
Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE)
FAE updates @ JodysJungle.com

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Visit
Bizarro's Blog Spot

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"Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
Jungle Friends has had two emergency arrivals in the past two weeks! Both monkeys came to us from a life or death situation, and now I must ask our Jungle Friends family to help provide for
Tessa and BamBam
Please help us give these little girls the life they deserve."

AP 05-15-2008
Eight Belles' Necropsy Report Released
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 15) - Eight Belles had no diseases or pre-existing bone abnormalities that caused the filly to break down after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby. Autopsy results reviewed by The Associated Press on Thursday confirm compound fractures of both front legs at the fetlock joints. They also describe lacerated skin on both legs, an absence of joint fluid in the damaged areas and congested lungs.

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For those of us interested in birds, beautiful bird photos and fascinating, informative articles...
Please visit BirdmanDea's Blog
Put it in your favorites and visit often, it is ever changing, from Hawks to Humming Bird fountains and beyond.

Newly hatched Killdeer
A true marvel of survival no bigger than a ping pong ball.

Blink and you will never know you missed it.

Finding It
with
BirdmanDea
"I am addicted. I have been for years. The withdrawal is brutal and unbearable. The fix is cheap and always leaves me wanting more. I do it everyday. I do it when I am drinking coffee in the morning. I do it while I am driving. I do it when I am talking to people about doing it. I gotta have more. Chores do not matter. Work does not matter. The weather does not matter. The cost of gas does not matter. I need more and I need it as soon as possible".

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Kindred Souls Foundation
"Kindred Souls Foundation provides sanctuary to abandoned, abused, and neglected cats and dogs of all ages, a holistic approach to their care, and education on the rewards and responsibilities of animal companionship.
Kindred Souls Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to animal welfare advocacy. Through our specially designed programs, community involvement, and networking with other organizations, we strive to ensure all animals with whom we come into contact are given the opportunity to be loved and well cared for.
Our Board Members and Volunteers are dedicated to encouraging compassion towards all animals."
P.O. Box 88627
Steilacoom, WA 98388
Phone: 253-226-3135
Email: info@kindredsoulsfoundation.org

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Trader Joe's stops carrying eggs from California farm
Trader Joe's announced Thursday that it will stop carrying eggs from a central California farm where an animal rights group shot undercover video showing chickens being mistreated by workers.
Footage released earlier this week by the Chicago-based nonprofit Mercy for Animals showed hens at Gemperle Enterprises' farms confined in crowded metal cages with rotting bird corpses.
jj Alert
Mercy for Animals is a hard core site with some terribly disturbing videos.

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Meet the Winners
of American Humane’s 2008 Be Kind to Animals™ Kid Contest
"This year’s Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest brought us more than twice as many entries as last year. We received nominations of special kids and teens from coast to coast. Their humane values and actions serve as an example to others".

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5/4/08
Big Brown Wins Tragic Kentucky Derby
Eight Belles Euthanized on Track After Second-Place Finish
Eight Belles

Kentucky Derby May, 2008
"Eight Belles" Should Sound the End of Racetrack Betting

News & Issues
Kentucky
Epidemic of Horse Neglect Cases Plague State Where Animal Protection Laws Rank Last in the Nation
Source: Animal Legal Defense Fund eNewsletter

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Action Alert Update!
(5/2/08)

Man Accused of Killing "Baby" the Dog With a Power Drill May Never Go to Trial
3-year-old pit bull named "Baby" Dies After Being Attacked With a Power Drill
(Plainville, CT)
3/26/08
Arrested in January 2008, Severino Cruz and his brother Enrique Cruz face charges of animal cruelty for alleged neglect and malicious abuse. Reportedly in a rage upon hearing that a 3-year-old pit bull named Baby had bitten his nephew’s arm, Severino Cruz grabbed the dog by her chain, pushed her up against her cage and drilled a series of holes into her skull with a power drill. Baby was euthanized shortly thereafter.

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May 2008
Kentucky Derby
Eight Belles Tragedy: Never Again
Target: Alex Waldrop, Chief Executive Officer, National Thoroughbred Racing Association
Sponsored by: Horse lovers and animal welfare advocates everywhere.
The time has come for animal lovers everywhere to demand accountability and reform of the horse racing industry.
The death of Eight Belles after finishing second at this year's Kentucky Derby is a horrible reminder of the toll race horses have taken recently in an increasingly dangerous sport. According to a recent study, an average of two horses die every day in horse racing. This loss is unacceptable.
The horse racing industry must reform to put the welfare and safety of horses first and foremost
if not, we will boycott the sport.
Sign Petition
Source:
The Petition Site.com
There are many of us who would like to see horse racing abolished. jj
See Also: Horses@JodysJungle.com

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From Retiring to Rescuing
Alayne Marker and Steve Smith retired from their lucrative jobs 15 years early. The couple then moved to Montana and started The Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary with their own savings.
"The Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Montana
rescues and shelters disabled animals. Every animal who arrives at the sanctuary gets another chance to have a safe and loving home. Our residents include blind dogs, blind horses, deaf dogs, blind cats, and others with medical issues like muscular dystrophy.
Although these animals may have disabilities, they do not consider themselves handicapped. They just want to get on with life and enjoy themselves. Thanks to the support of the sanctuary's friends, that's what they get to do here."
The sanctuary is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that is supported entirely by private contributions. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
About The Sanctuary

"This site is dedicated to the blind horses at our Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary. These special animals have shown us that a blind horse can enjoy life just like a sighted horse." BlindHorses.org

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5/3/2008
Cloud Rat

This cloud rat, found in a mossy forest about 7,700 feet above sea level in Mt. Pulag National Park in the Philippines, was the first of its species to be seen in 112 years.

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Japan's Oldest Giant Panda, Ling Ling, Dies
Apr. 30, 2008
Associated Press

TOKYO - Japan's oldest giant panda, Ling Ling, a longtime star at Tokyo's largest zoo and a symbol of friendship with China, died Wednesday of heart failure, zookeepers said.
Ling Ling was 22 years and seven months old, equivalent to about 70 human years, the Ueno Zoo said. It said he was the fifth-oldest known male panda in the world. Ling Ling began losing his appetite and strength last August because of his old age, and recently suffered from heart and kidney problems, zoo official Motoyasu Ida said.
Keepers and visitors mourned the panda, which was the zoo's most popular attraction for more than 15 years. Public broadcaster NHK showed many visitors writing condolence messages, with some brushing away tears. Ling Ling's portrait was displayed inside his cage, along with bouquets and offerings of his favorite bamboo shoots.
An autopsy found he died of heart failure, Ida said. Fukuji Sugimoto, chief panda keeper at the zoo, said he felt something was wrong as soon as he entered Ling Ling's cage early Wednesday. "He always turned around when I called Ling Ling.' This morning he didn't. I rushed to him and touched his head, and he was already cold. That broke my heart," Sugimoto said. "He was such a darling." Ling Ling died just one day after the zoo withdrew him from public view because of his worsening health.
Born at China's Beijing Zoo in 1985, Ling Ling came to Tokyo in 1992. He had traveled to Mexico three times in recent years for unsuccessful mating. Ling Ling was the only giant panda owned by Japan, with eight other pandas elsewhere in the country all loaned by China, according to media reports.
With Ling Ling's loss, Ueno Zoo is without a panda for the first time since 1972, when the first panda couple arrived from China to mark the signing of bilateral peace treaty. Ida said the zoo is currently consulting with the Foreign Ministry about obtaining another panda from China.
The regional newspaper Tokyo Shimbun reported Tuesday that Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda may ask Chinese President Hu Jintao to consider loaning a pair of pandas to Japan.
Giant pandas are one of the world's rarest animals, with about 1,600 living in the wild in China, mostly in Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

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Please take action
'Washington Post' Investigation
Reveals Government Testing Sham

Source: Peta.org

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AnimalsAsia.org
April, 2008
Dear Jody,
Just a quick email to update you on the news that many of you have patiently been waiting for. Madam Xiong (literally Madam “Bear”!) of the Sichuan Forestry Department has kept her promise of closing a farm before the end of March – and, in the final hours of this month, our newly rescued bears are here! At 8pm tonight (Monday, China time), three trucks carrying 28 terrified, emaciated, but soon-to-be-free Moon Bears drove through the gates of our sanctuary in Chengdu, bringing our new family members “home”.
The next few days and weeks are going to be frantically busy as our wonderful team of vets, nurses, bear managers and workers get to grips with pioritising those bears in most urgent need of medical attention and begin their magic of repairing damaged bodies and minds. As always, this is a time of emotional highs and lows as we cry inside for animals that have spent decades in cages on barbaric farms, but put tears and anger behind as we become the professionals the bears need us to be.
Our first priority has been to ensure the safety of our staff by securing the rusty, dilapidated cages of these tortured, understandably aggressive bears, before offering them simple pleasures which they have never experienced on the farms. Free access to clean water for the first time in their lives, fruit piled high and tasty medicated shakes which will start them on the healing process – preparing for emergency health checks and major surgeries so necessary to get them through. Even straw placed on the roof of their cruel crush cages will see them quickly pulling it through, making nests on unrelenting bars which have hurt and scarred their bone-thin bodies for years.
It is the best and worst of times for everyone here in Chengdu – not least the bears – and, in between this new rescue, we want to thank you for having the faith to stay with us and for now being a profound part of this latest good news. Please come back and visit my blog where you’ll see updates and photos whenever there’s time over this coming week. Take a quick break and visit so that you can join the bears as, together, we start the first tentative steps towards freedom.
Finally, please bear with us (excuse the pun) as we try to balance caring for the bears and keeping you updated. I know you’ll have questions, but we may not be able to respond to you all individually as we start working round the clock at the sanctuary. Please keep checking the blog and I’ll try to answer them as much as possible there.
These bears may not be “smiling” like Jasper and friends just yet – but experience tells us that most will pull through ….with a little luck, and time, on their side.
Bear hugs,
Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong

A Bear Named Watermelon

"One of those bears was a handsome young male, who we’ve nick-named “Watermelon”. On arrival, this brave boy was clearly in agony with crippling back pain. He’d been rammed into a tiny, tiny cage, and all he had the energy to do was whimper quietly – and breathe.
Watermelon was cramped painfully on his side, his majestic head pressed flat against the unrelenting bars and his belly weeping a putrid mix of bile, blood and pus. His left forepaw was poking through the cruel bars to rest on the concrete floor outside, the only place it had to go. There was a gentleness about this beautiful bear that just broke our hearts. His breath was dangerously shallow, but the depth of his pleading brown eyes spoke of a thousand sorrows.
Among the melee, one of the bear workers noticed Watermelon wasn’t eating and offered him a piece of apple, then some banana on a long skewer. Widening his eyes, he sniffed at the fruit, but still he didn’t eat. It wasn’t until she gently lifted a piece of juicy watermelon to his lips that this beautiful boy slowly edged open his mouth and nibbled on the tender flesh – almost certainly the most delicious food he’d ever eaten. His whimpers gradually lessened. I’d like to think this small act of kindness gave him the will to fight on."

Please visit Jill's Blog
Please Care, Please Help.
jj

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IT'S A WIN!
TAI THE ELEPHANT WON'T BE FORCED INTO RIDICULOUS BUBBLE STUNT!
From: davidkca@earthlink.net...3/14/2008
Your efforts -- the phone calls, emails and letters to the editor (great one in the L.A. Times today) -- made a difference! The Discovery Science Center has cancelled the elephant stunt because of the overwhelming response against this senseless spectacle. The science center listened to informed, concerned and compassionate people and made the right decision.
Please send a brief email to the Discovery Science Center at news@discoverycube.org and thank them for doing the right thing and canceling the elephant stunt. It's important to acknowledge that they listened to the public and did the right thing in the end.
Thanks to everyone who took action on this important issue. You really do make a difference for the animals!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement from Discovery Science Center on March 18 Guinness World Record attempt
SANTA ANA, Calif. ­ March 14, 2008 ­ The following is a statement from Discovery Science Center regarding the Guinness World Record attempt planned for Tuesday, March 18, 2008.
"The feedback that Discovery Science Center has received on attempting to set a Guinness World Record with an elephant in a soap bubble during BubbleFest has been overwhelming. We appreciate that so many people took the time to voice their opinions on this matter. We want to let our public know that we are listening to you. We look forward to a fun and educational three-week BubbleFest.
Tai, the elephant will not be part of our event,
but beginning on Saturday, March 15, we¹ll offer hands-on bubble fun that is bigger and better than ever before. Four daily Mega Bubble Shows under a big top and the chance to have your picture taken inside a soap bubble are some of the highlighted activities available at BubbleFest XII." For more information on Discovery Science Center or BubbleFest, visit discoverycube.org

From: davidkca@earthlink.net...3/14/2008
Science Center takes the elephant out of the bubble

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The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee
March 11, 2008
Delhi
"In the early hours of the morning while her sisters and caregivers slept, Delhi made her transition. Her passing was silent and peaceful, she passed without waking. We are all spending the day honoring our last precious hours with her; caregivers are still fussing around her, whispering quiet goodbyes. Misty carefully touched all over Delhi’s body and then gently stepped over her, sheltering her dearly departed friend. We are honored to have been Delhi’s caregivers, thankful to be loved by such a kind and wise being. The gifts that Delhi has bestowed upon all of us have been immeasurable. We are ever grateful".

"Namaste our dearest Delhi".

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Eliminate the Live Animal Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins University is the only top-ranked U.S. medical school still practicing cruelty - not compassion - when they claim to be teaching medicine. As part of the third year surgery rotation, live pigs are anesthetized and cut open to teach surgical procedures. At the end of the class, the pigs are killed and disposed of as waste.
Sponsor: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

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February 2008
BRAZIL
IWAB.ORG  (International Web Against Bullfights)
Protest against the "Farra do Boi"
Source: WSPA
One of the most savage rituals of cruelty toward animals is Brazil's Farra do Boi. Farra do boi, loosely translated as " Festival of the Oxen" or "Ox Fun Days", involves the torture- killing of several hundred oxen each year in more than thirty communities throughout the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. In other states of Brazil, the spectacle is denounced and has stirred violent protests.
Until recently, Farra do Boi occurred primarily during Easter week and on New Year's Day in remote coastal villages.

Today some communities hold weekly Farras to "celebrate" weddings, birthdays, soccer games and other special occasions. Prominent businessmen, citizens, cattle breeders, restaurateurs, and politicians often donate the oxen.

The Farra begins when the ox is driven from its pen and chased through the streets by crowds of villagers with sticks, knives, whips, stones, bamboo lances, and ropes.The attackers men, women, and children pursue the ox as it attempts to flee, even into the ocean.
WSPA sources in Brazil have seen cattle tormented in every conceivable way. The helpless animals are doused with gasoline and set on fire. Pepper is thrown into their eyes, which are often then gouged out. Participants break the animal's horns and legs and cut off their tales. Oxen may be stabbed or hit as many times as possible as long as the blows are not fatal, for the cattle must survive until the end. This torture may continue for THREE DAYS OR LONGER. Finally the animal is killed and the meat is divided among the participants to eat.

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Animals Asia
Jill's Blog
The horrors of Maoshan – Part 1
Monday, February 4, 2008, 07:34 PM
Recently, I visited Maoshan Live Animal Market in Guangzhou with two of our China team, Christie and Rainbow. Such visits are probably the hardest part of our work at Animals Asia, but they’re also among the most important. We must keep monitoring this situation and exposing the truth about these hell-holes. These are my notes from the visit:
It’s 8am and I just don’t know how Christie and Rainbow can cope with the pain. You feel it in every fibre of your body, as you breathe the rancid, acrid smell of disease and taste the dust of death and decay. It lingers for hours after you've left one of these obscene live animal markets in China.
The place is Maoshan Market in the southern province of Guangdong and even as the taxi pulls up outside the open courtyard the screams of terrified animals makes us wince. These cries echo around each avenue of the market until we finally meet the eyes of petrified dogs and cats that are minutes or hours from death. Panting from thirst and dehydration, crying with terror, confusion and pain, their suffering is profound. Sometimes their tails wag in hopeful anticipation that the soft apologies of people recording their pain will lead to release – until their eyes fade once again into hopeless reality and they turn away.
We promise they will never die in vain. Rainbow is saying “please look at the camera; let me turn your agony into change for the animals of the future”. I can only say sorry to the eyes that turn my way – and I do out loud – and try to reassure them that their next life will be better.
Hundreds, possibly thousands, of dogs are piled into tiny wire mesh cages in pyramids teetering high into the air on the backs of the trucks. Cats are stacked in cages that wobble precariously on industrial weigh-scales as their mass of body weight is calculated for the local restaurants.
Jill's Blog Continues

The horrors of Maoshan – part 2
The market also doubles as a slaughterhouse – a round metal drum with orange spikes used for “de-furring” the cats and dogs sits just outside a burning cauldron that will be cooking their meat for customers towards lunchtime.

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JungleFriends.org
February 17, 2008

"It is a very sad day for us here at the sanctuary since
Buddy Boy,
our little blind squirrel monkey, left us this morning."

Bless you Buddy Boy, rest in peace.
Kari, thank you for giving him so much in his final years.
Jody

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February 11, 2008
What DO you get for a lady with 101 monkeys??
"Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
It’s birthday time again at Jungle Friends! Now that February has rolled in, we’re officially in the ‘birthday zone’ counting down to Kari’s birthday on February 24th! In 2007, Jungle Friends provided a safe sanctuary home for 21 more monkeys, and still more monkeys will be released to Jungle Friends from another lab very soon. So, Kari has lots to celebrate on her birthday this year, and lots more work to look forward to in 2008! Once again, on the top of Kari’s birthday wish list is more tools and supplies to keep everyone busy working for the monkeys. She’s also noticed that the toy box is getting a bit low. The monkeys would love to have some new toys to shake, rattle and roll."
To help, please visit The Birthday Zone
JungleFriends.org has been a highly recommended and a supported favorite of Jodysjungle.com for many years.
Please visit the monks, thanks! JJ

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JungleFriends.org
2/07/08
Meet Pat

Pat arrived at Jungle Friends on January 27, 2008 from Plano I.S.D’s Outdoor Learning Center in Plano, Texas. Pat had been placed there in 1996, when the City of Dallas Animal Services Department received a call that a spider monkey had been discovered sitting on a fence in the freezing cold. Pat’s fingers, toes and tail all had severe frostbite. Pat would sit in the corner and bang herself in the head with her back foot. All but one of the veterinarians consulted wanted to euthanize Pat! Fortunately, that one felt that Pat deserved a chance to live and recover. All of her toes, all but one finger on her left hand, and the tip of her tail had to be amputated. Pat adapted very well to her loss. Three days after her surgery she was bouncing around and hanging from her tail. She finally began to eat, and after about a week Pat’s psychological well-being was much improved. Pat is now at JungleFriends.org. Please go and read the story of how she got there and what is happening with her now.
JungleFriends.org

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2/05/08
Dear Natural Resources Defense Council Supporters,
Your generous support got us back to federal court, where we've scored another big victory for whales -- this time over the President of the United States! Last night, a federal judge struck down a waiver issued by the White House that would have exempted the U.S. Navy from obeying a key environmental law during sonar training exercises that endanger whales.
In doing so, the court affirmed the bedrock principle that we do NOT live under an imperial presidency. Both the White House and the military must obey and uphold our environmental laws. President Bush's waiver was a last-ditch attempt to let the Navy unleash an onslaught of military sonar off the coast of southern California -- home to five endangered species of whales -- without taking precautions to protect marine mammals from a lethal bombardment of sound.
Last month, the same judge -- U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper -- ordered the Navy to put safeguards in place during the sonar maneuvers in order to protect marine mammals from needless injury and death. Shortly after that ruling, President Bush issued his "emergency" waiver, attempting to override the court's order. In last night's ruling, Judge Cooper called the Navy's so-called emergency "a creature of its own making," and reaffirmed that the military can train effectively without needlessly harming whales. The Navy's maneuvers would take place near the Channel Islands -- one of the world's most sensitive marine environments. The Navy itself estimates that the booming sonar would harass or harm marine mammals some 170,000 times -- and cause permanent injury in more than 400 cases.
The far-reaching precautions imposed on the Navy by Judge Cooper include a ban on mid-frequency sonar within 12 miles of the California coast -- a zone that is heavily used by migrating whales and dolphins -- and between the Channel Islands. Make no mistake: we must be fully prepared to keep fighting for those humane restrictions -- especially if the White House or Navy appeals this decision to a higher court.
Your support and activism have taken us this far. I know you will continue standing with us in the courtroom battles ahead -- until that day when whales no longer need to die for the sake of military practice.... Here's a great segment about our victory from today's
"Morning Edition" on National Public Radio.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

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On May 21, 2003
JodysJungle.com posted this article to congratulate Badrap.org on receiving its 501c3 status

CONGRATULATIONS!

"BAD RAP has received its 501c3 status from the IRS as of today! (5/21/03)
We'd like to think that the letter was mailed out on the day of the lunar eclipse.
A most auspicious 'birthday' for our pit bull group.
As always, thank you for believing in us!"
Donna Reynolds @ Badrap.org

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Badrap.org is a group I have supported and recommended for 5 years. I am proud to post this next article and take some time to brag about this group.
Thank you for all you do! Bless you, keep up the great work!
JJ

ASPCA 2008 Press Release, Michael Vick
The Curtain Comes Down on Michael Vick Case With Final Sentencing Hearing.
ASPCA thanks all involved.
"In addition, BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), a San Francisco-based non profit organization that is an educational resource for pit bull owners and the shelters that house them, also worked with the ASPCA-led team to help identify dogs that could be absorbed into experienced foster programs for further observation and possible re-homing into appropriate homes. BAD RAP was represented on the evaluation team by co-founders Tim Racer and Donna Reynolds. Finally, Justin Phillips, shelter supervisor/behavior supervisor of the SPCA of Monterey County, Calif., was also part of the BAD RAP team."
Meet The Michael Vick Rescue Dogs
No group of pit bulls has received as much media attention as the dogs from former NFL player Michael Vick's yard. While it's certain nobody would've known about these victimized dogs had they not been part of a fallen sports figure's dog fighting venture, they earned celebrity in their own right by surviving two certain deaths, thanks to a large scale rescue effort led, in part, by the federal government - a first of its kind.
Public opinion fell strongly in favor of helping the dogs. In this landmark animal welfare case, federal prosecuting attorneys, federal agents, the USDA, six Virginia animal shelters, a court appointed animal law expert and several rescue organizations including BAD RAP all teamed together to reach the goal of evaluating 49 fight bust victims and then sending them to new and better lives with rescue organizations around the country.
In the past, shelters have been encouraged to put all fight bust dogs to their deaths because it was assumed that they were each going to be dangerous, uncontrollable animals. They’ve been called ‘Kennel Trash’ and accused of taking up space normally reserved for other dogs. Evaluating them as individuals revealed new information about dogs from fight busts and helped shatter old myths previously used to condemn them.
Michael Vick Rescue Dogs Timeline

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NRDC Action Fund
The Bush Administration has just handed down its long-awaited “License to Kill” rule for wolves.
This is the equivalent of a death sentence for hundreds of endangered gray wolves in Greater Yellowstone and across the Northern Rockies. Rest assured that NRDC will be going to court immediately to challenge and block this cruel attack on America’s wildlife. At the same time, our partner organization, the NRDC Action Fund, is moving swiftly to mobilize nationwide opposition and force the White House to call off the guns. The Action Fund has produced a powerful ad that will run in the national edition of The New York Times within the next week, where it will alert both the public and Congress in time to stop the slaughter.
Please click here to view a preview of the ad. Thanks to this ad, millions of Americans will soon learn that the Bush Administration is planning to spend our tax dollars to slaughter hundreds of wolves -- while they are still protected under the Endangered Species Act. And thousands of them will go online and urge their members of Congress to unite in opposition to this outrageous attack on an endangered species. Working together we’re going to give America’s wolves a fighting chance. Thank you, as always, for making all our work possible through your most generous support.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

~

Dear WSPA Supporter
For some, it's the ache of an empty stomach. For others, it's the soreness of an open wound, the pain of a devastating infection, the sharp sting of an icy cold winter night, the boredom and loneliness of life in a tiny cage, or the terror and confusion of being shot at, poisoned, and abused.
For billions of animals around the world, hurt is a part of everyday life. But you can change this. Make your 2008 WSPA membership gift and watch the video (optional) to see how you can make a difference.

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WSPA Petition Attracts 1 Million Signatures!
Just before Christmas, the President of Costa Rica became the one millionth person to sign the ASPCA-supported
Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.
(Click the link and scroll almost to the bottom of the page to sign.)

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ASPCA ANNOUNCES ARREST OF SUSPECT IN BRONX KITTEN KILLING
January 18, 2008
In late November 2007, the ASPCA was alerted to suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a stray kitten who had been socialized, cared for and fed by the residents and employees of a building at 1581 Fulton Avenue, The Bronx. Witnesses told ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement investigators that 17-year-old Robert Tull, a resident of the area, struck the 4 1/2-month-old male kitten with a garbage pail lid on the night of the kitten’s death. Back at ASPCA headquarters in Manhattan, an examination of the kitten’s remains proved that he had suffered head trauma and that he had been drowned. ASPCA Special Agent Patrick Breen arrested Tull without incident on December 17, just a short distance away from the Fulton Avenue building. At 17, Tull is considered an adult by New York City law. He has been charged with felony aggravated animal cruelty and faces up to two years in prison and a $2,000 fine. It is a well-documented phenomenon that those who hurt animals without provocation—especially young people—often move on to commit acts of violence against humans. Please report animal abuse in New York City by contacting the ASPCA's anonymous tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA. To learn how to report cruelty elsewhere, visit the ASPCA's Report Cruelty section.

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Stop Deceptive Labeling of "Natural" Meat
Have you noticed how confusing meat labels have become? What does "naturally raised" or "natural" mean when applied to a side of beef? Well, not much, as it turns out. Yet the federal government is about to approve the use of the term "naturally raised" -- even though it doesn't mean that the animal was physically unaltered, able to roam freely, or graze on pasture. It will mean it didn't get growth promoters, although there is no verification of even that more limited claim. The existing term "natural" only means that no artificial ingredients were added during processing.
Source: Care2 The Petition Site

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Zimbabwe's elephants fair game to feed sports fans
Zimbabwe plans to kill hundreds of elephants and turn them into biltong, a local dried meat snack usually enjoyed with a beer in front of a game of soccer or rugby, officials here have said. "It is in our plans. We plan to start this year," Zimbabwe National Parks director-general Morris Mtsambiwa was quoted as saying in the state-owned Herald newspaper. At least 500 elephants will be shot, skinned and their flesh dried and processed.

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Vick's Prison Sentence May Be Shortened
Michael Vick might be back sooner than we think.
Humane Society and PETA picketers better keep those posters ready, as there's a chance Michael Vick could be back on the field for the 2009 season. Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the Falcons quarterback could end up serving as few as 12 months of his 23 month sentence thanks to his entry into a drug rehab program in prison. By connecting the dots, the story speculates that Vick could be back in the NFL for the 2009 season, as he would likely wrap up his sentence early next year.
Apparently the drug treatment program, which is only in place at the Leavenworth, Kan., federal penitentiary, allows inmates to wipe off up to a year of their sentence if they complete the drug treatment program. Vick has tested positive for marijuana, which ended up likely adding time to his prison sentence. But now that same drug test might end up helping him cut time from his current sentence. Vick has to be in the program for a year, which apparently hasn't begun, so he's likely looking at a February or March 2009 release.
Now, there are several other obstacles to Vick getting back onto an NFL field. Commissioner Roger Goodell will have to end his indefinite suspension, he'll likely have to pass frequent drug tests, and probably most importantly, he'll have to find a team willing to have a dog killer on their roster, with all the bad publicity that will come with it. But getting his prison sentence over six months or more before the 2009 season does make it much more likely that Vick will end up getting back onto the field.

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Pet Poison Safety for Bird Owners
Did you know that many common household items could be harmful to your pet? To help raise awareness on this sixth annual National Bird Day, January 5, 2008, ASPCA experts are offering some poison prevention tips to keep your companion avian in the "sing" of things.

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Dear Jody,
The crew members of the Esperanza (Spanish for "hope") are true heroes of the ocean. Having trumped through three typhoons, at this very moment they are seeking out the Japanese whaling fleet -- in hunting grounds equivalent to twice the landmass of the United States. This expedition is no easy task. It requires fuel, food, logistics, skill and guts -- lots and lots of guts.
Help the crew of the Esperanza save the whales »
Japan has responded to international pressure, and announced that humpbacks will not be hunted this season. But whaling has not ended. Japan still plans to murder 985 Minke and Fin whales this year. The cycle of greed behind the global whaling industry drove one whale population after another toward oblivion. It is still not known if some species will ever recover, even after decades of protection. Saving one species is not enough. We all need to do more NOW to stop the hunt forever.
Your donation to Greenpeace can help the crew members of the Esperanza succeed in protecting whales!

It costs $247,000 a month to keep the Esperanza and crew on the heels of the Japanese whaling fleet. But with your support, Greenpeace can continue to fund this incredible effort.

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Arna the Elephant
Stardust's Arna officially a killer
By Rhett Watson
January 04, 2008 12:30am

ARNA the ELEPHANT 2007
Arna has been mired in controversy since animal liberationists took civil action against the circus in 2002, alleging animal cruelty. Animal Liberation NSW fought its cruelty case for two years, but the matter was dismissed in court. Since then the group has lobbied councils around the state to ban circus acts that include wild animals. Animal Liberation NSW executive director Mark Pearson said last night Arna was a "time bomb'' ready to explode. "It's like any highly intelligent wild animal incarcerated - they're under extreme distress all of the time,'' he said. "When you put an extremely powerful, essentially wild animal that can't be domesticated that can only be tamed or broken in, well then you have a time bomb ready to go off. "To train an elephant to perform ridiculous tricks like Arna does, they have to go through a great deal of brutality. When all different things come together, they will get revenge,'' he said. "It's very interesting that they kill their trainers first," Mr. Pearson said.
Arna 2002 @ JodysJungle.com
Arna's Plight @ Circus Watch WA

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Turkey Dinner

Please Join
Farm Sanctuary
for the
Adopt-A-Turkey Project
and
Celebration FOR the Turkeys
November 17, 2007, 2008, etc.

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Adopt a penguin

"Remember Mumble, the penguin chick from the movie Happy Feet?
Well, he's no longer dancing - he and his fellow penguins are on the march in search of food because their home is melting.
We can help protect penguins from global warming.
Adopt a penguin for the holidays and help
Defenders of Wildlife
save penguins from extinction."

Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team
Care2.com, Inc.
275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94065

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Maggie the Alaska Elephant

Maggie Update@PAWS.org

Air Force agrees to move elephant on C-17

Friday Oct 26, 2007
For a bunch of loadmasters, life will truly imitate art the day after Halloween,
now that the Air Force has agreed to fly Maggie, a sick elephant,
aboard a C-17 Globemaster from Alaska to California.
The Performing Animal Welfare Society, PAWS.org which runs the sanctuary near San Andreas, CA
will pay all of the Air Force’s costs, an Air Force statement said.
Estimates put the bill around $200,000.

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Monkeys Retiring From Laboratory Research
More research...
or a new life?

Ernie is one of the monkeys in jeopardy.

"Dear Friends of Jungle Friends
One of the laboratories called us last week with some bad news; we need to move their monkeys to Jungle Friends as soon as possible or they will be sold back into research! Originally we thought we had until spring, but that is no longer the case. There are 5 marmosets and 4 juvenile squirrel monkeys at risk. We are anxious to get these little guys out of danger.
We need $2,500 more for the indoor enclosures that will provide these monkeys with a safe haven. The manufacturer has promised he will rush our order as quickly as possible; we just need the funding that will allow us to place the order.  If I can assure the ‘powers that be’ that we will be able to accept these monkeys within 30 days, they will not sell them!  Please help me make that call to the lab by making a donation today!"
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
Kari Bagnall, Director

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Sunday, November 4, 2007
The NYC Marathon.... and the Run for Albie.
"Mild-mannered book publisher Martin Rowe is running his very first NYC marathon.
After reading our newsletter story about a little neglected goat named Albie facing a possible amputation of an injured leg,
Martin was inspired to raise money for him and the other rescued critters at our sanctuary.
The response has been amazing -- dozens upon dozens of kind folks have been pledging a dollar a mile or more to embolden Martin to finish all 26 miles. These funds are essential to help keep the animals healthy, fed and warm over the upcoming winter. Plus, an anonymous donor has stepped up to match the first $5,000!
You too can cheer Martin on and at the same time help many four-legged and winged creatures".
All the details:

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Action Alert:
Binoculars for the Birds
Published 11/01/07
Please send The Animal Protection Institute/API your used or new binoculars
to help Indonesian children learn that birds are more beautiful wild.
API is teaming up with the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) to provide binoculars to Indonesian schoolchildren.

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"Flattened to the bars of his crush cage for 15 years, Jasper, like thousands of endangered Moon Bears
had a crude metal catheter implanted in his gall bladder causing unimaginable infection and pain.
Years of frustrated bar rubbing and biting also left Jasper with wounds, hair loss and worn canine teeth.
Despite this horrific physical and mental abuse, Jasper is a sweet, forgiving bear and one of the friendliest bears
at our sanctuary in Chengdu.
Spending long afternoons tumbling around before collapsing, exhausted and happy, into his cozy hanging-basket bed,
Jasper's love for bears and people alike shows just how forgiving and affectionate this beautiful species can be.
Jasper is now immortalised in a portrait painted by David Shepherd,
of the
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
This is David’s first oil painting of a Moon Bear and Jasper is in good company
as David has also painted the British Queen Mother."

Please
Click Here
for an opportunity to buy a print (much larger than the one shown here) and support
Animals Asia Moon Bear Rescue

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DOG SHOOTS MAN
Oct. 30, 2007
DES MOINES, Iowa - A hunter is recovering after he was shot in the leg at close range by his dog, who stepped on his shotgun and tripped the trigger, an official said Tuesday.

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Dear Jody,
I hope you'll take a look at this month's online version of
Nature's Voice
and read about our urgent campaign to save Chile’s breathtaking Patagonia region
from a massive hydroelectric scheme.
You’ll also get the latest on our courtroom fight to block destructive oil drilling off the coast of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

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Judge Gives Idiot 3 Years For Tossing Puppy Off Balcony
Charleston, S.C.   Oct. 26, 2007
An incredulous judge sentenced an idiot to three years in prison
for tossing a 10-week-old puppy off an apartment balcony during an argument with his girlfriend.
The puppy was in a soft-sided container, suffered head injuries and had to be put to death.
JAVON PATRICK MORRIS, 22, apologized for throwing the puppy off the balcony
last March and pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.

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Oct. 11, 2007
Jill Robinson of AnimalsAsia.org
was specially interviewed on StarNewsAsia's "Talk with Deborah Kan" on World Animal Day.
Jill tells Deborah about her organisation and its work to defend creatures from human cruelty.
You can now watch this great 3 minute interview.
JodysJungle.com contributes to...supports and highly recommends AnimalsAsia.org.
Please visit their site to learn about Moon Bears and the cruelty of Bear Bile Farming. And PLEASE get involved!

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ShameOnCheyenne.com
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is one of the most cruel and brutal rodeos in the country. All the graphic images shown on this site were documented by SHARK investigators at the Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 2005 and 2007. The pictures and videotape tell the truth as many animals are injured, abused, and even killed. Be prepared to see photos on this site taken by SHARK investigators that make the suffering all too clear. For a more extensive look at SHARK's documentation of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, click on the photo pages in the left column of the site.
Warning
The images that SHARK captures are virtually impossible to erase from one’s mind, but are truly impossible to erase from the lives of these animals, and indeed all the animals to come, as long as corporations support rodeo.

Action Alert:
Def Leppard and Bon Jovi performed at CFD Rodeo
Please contact each band at the information on this site and nicely but firmly let them know that you'll never be able to look at or listen to them the same way since their participation in a show whose history is the maiming and killing of untold numbers of animals. The Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is one of the most brutal and deadly rodeos in the world, as it features both steer busting and the infamous wild horse race. In 2005, SHARK investigators shot pictures and video exposing Cheyenne's cruelty, including horses and bulls being shocked, and calves, steers and horses injured and killed.

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On Sept. 29, 2007

American Humane's 82-foot-long Rescue Rig as well as staff from their Red Star Animal Emergency Services team deployed to Buxton, Maine. The team was responding to a request from Maine's Animal Welfare Program, which had seized approximately 200 dogs, many sick or injured, from an unlicensed kennel or "puppy mill." These dogs had been living in deplorable conditions. Many of them were malnourished, injured and afflicted with infectious diseases. American Humane is currently providing care and rehabilitation to these poor dogs who have suffered so much in their first months of life.
Please Take A Moment to Thank American Humane
for helping these dogs, and for their work fighting against puppy mills!

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Stop Fast Food Chains From Using Paper From Endangered Forests
Packaging symbolizes the disposable society we have become. More than half of all paper produced in the United States is used in paper packaging. Fast Food Industry giants including Yum! Brands (which brings you Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell and more) are big buyers of paper packaging from the forests of the Southern US. With nearly 100 packaging mills in the South, forests are being destroyed to bring you fried chicken, burgers, fries and super-sized convenience in a glut of wrappers, boxes and cups. On top of this, millions of pounds of food packaging waste litter our roadways, clog our landfills and spoil our quality of life. Over half of landfill waste is paper and wood products. Send an email to Yum Brands CEO David Novak asking him to reduce the company's packaging, stop using paper from endangered Southern forests and use more recycled paper!
Petition

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Dear Miss Jody:
Kamprai has given birth to a male baby just five minutes past midnight last night. Both mother and the baby are fine. Kamprai had shown sign since the evening of Sat 22nd September. We are so glad that she accepts her baby well within eight hours. I have named the baby "Zeno" since his elder brothers' names are Songkran and Auro. I thought it would be nice to have this name for him. The photos will be on the website soon.
Cheers!
Soraida
Friends of the Asian Elephant/FAE

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Stop the cruel confinement of calves in dairy farming!

Did you know the dairy products you buy could be associated with baby calves being taken from their mothers just hours after birth and shipped away to live in cramped, filthy crates with barely enough room to move?

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AAF Rescues Two More Moon Bears in Vietnam.
Safe at last; our Tam Dao family has grown to five.

Dear Jody,
Great news! Because of you and your ongoing faith and support, two beautiful Moon Bears are now safe and sound at last in their new home at our Sanctuary in Vietnam. These two gorgeous girls have spent almost four years in a cramped cage in the care of the Forest Protection Department after being rescued from smugglers.
Thankfully the FPD officers realised they could not provide the proper care the bears needed, so asked if we could take them at our new Moon Bear Rescue Centre near Hanoi. Of course, we said yes, and now the three mischievous cubs that joined us in June have two foster mums! To read the full story of the rescue and to see photos of our new family members, please visit:
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=2&menupos=11&submenupos=2&lg=en
Soon I hope to be sending you more exciting news from Vietnam - the start of our major rescue will see a group of lucky bears enjoying freedom from years of suffering and torment on the farms.
Until then, as always, thanks from the heart on behalf of these grateful bears and those to come,
for your faith and generosity.
Bear hugs,
Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong
Animals Asia is one of my favorites..please visit the site to see the good work and get involved! jj

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